JP2012524444A - Ambient communication system, method of operating the system, and computer readable medium - Google Patents

Abstract

  A communication system 10 that conveys the surrounding environment / atmosphere / feelings is provided. The system 10 has a set of transmitters 11 and a corresponding set of receivers 12 for transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded information signals between two or more call parties. The ambient system further includes at least one light emitting unit 14 connected to a transmitter or receiver, and configured to emit light when the transmitter 11 or receiver 12 corresponding to the unit is in an operating mode. Has been. A method of operating the system and a computer readable medium carrying code segments for performing the method are also provided.

Description

  The present invention generally relates to the field of communication environments (ambient) that also communicates the environment / atmosphere / feelings, methods of operating such systems, and computer-readable media having code segments for performing such methods. . The present invention relates in particular to an ambient communication system, which sets of transmitters for transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded information signals, such as conversation information, between two or more call parties. And a corresponding set of receivers, a method of operating such a system, and a computer readable medium having code segments for performing the method.

  The communication carried by the current communication medium will not be supported to the full potential of communication. The instinct of personal relationships cannot be perceived and is far from the “face-to-face” feeling.

  The intent of the personal relationship between the callers is particularly important in relation to important communications, calling habits, and experiences between the two.

  In this regard, ambient telephones have been developed. Ambient phone is the idea of mixing phone conversations into the home environment. The system consists of a set of multiple loudspeakers and microphones in the house, which detects the user moving and making a call only within the area of the house where the user is located, and free movement To provide a “chase” effect to the user. This allows a completely hands-free call without product limitations or physical location limitations. This is intended to induce a sense of actually visiting rather than just a phone call and to reduce the perception that communication is involved.

  Several factors are important for the success of the ambient phone and the optimal experience. Some examples of these factors are the quality and spatial distribution of the sound, the extent to which the product mixes with the home environment, ease of use, and the feeling perceived by the user. Among the feelings desired for ambient telephones is the social presence (also known as the sense of being in the transmitted environment, also the presence).

  Current ambient telephones have the disadvantage of low feedback on the social presence of remote parties. The freedom of movement provided by the ambient phone is particularly important to provide feedback on the chasing effect and feedback on where the call is being made. In order to provide a sense of being together, that is, a social presence, it is important to provide the user with a sense that a remote party is in the same place. Today's ambient phone (which is a system mounted on the ceiling of a room) has the disadvantage that feedback on the chasing effect is not sufficient. More precisely, the user is not sure if the phone is following the user. Furthermore, ambient telephones have the disadvantage that the expression of the remote party is not sufficient. When using an ambient phone, the user may miss a specific visual cue and a specific viewing location of the remote caller.

  Thus, there is a need for development within the field of ambient telephones that allows improved expression, including improved chasing effects and possible ambience and / or feeling of remote parties.

  Accordingly, the present invention preferably seeks to mitigate, mitigate or eliminate one or more of the deficiencies and disadvantages of the prior art identified above alone or in any combination, and the ambient communication system according to the appended claims, It seeks to solve at least the above-mentioned problems by providing a method of operating a system and a computer-readable medium.

  The idea of the present invention is to provide an ambient telephone system having a light emitting unit configured to emit light having different light characteristics in response to an information signal containing conversation information sent between at least two parties. It is. Color and light intensity are selected to resemble the behavior that represents a particular familiarity and direct behavior. In this manner, the ambient telephone system provides a social presence (the sense of being together) by reproducing the underlying abstract representation of the remote telephone caller, and the light emitting unit is a telephone It serves as an object that allows the user to focus their attention during the period.

  The advantage of the present invention is therefore to enrich the user experience because intimate cues and direct cues are provided to mimic face-to-face communication. It also provides feedback on how the dialogue is taking place.

  An important feature of the present invention is the display of light from a set of one or more Phone-lets, in which the call is in a specific way that connects the user to the call partner at his / her remote location. Made. The specific characteristics of the emitted light further enrich the telephone experience by detecting and delineating the intrinsic characteristics of the telephone caller and / or by interaction through motion patterns. In this manner, the phonelet is a natural representation of the caller, providing a sense that both parties are in the same room, and providing motion feedback as the user moves through the house.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, an ambient communication system is provided. The ambient communication system has a set of transmitters and a corresponding set of receivers for transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded information signals between two or more call parties . Furthermore, the ambient communication system has at least one light emitting unit connected to a transmitter or receiver, and the light emitting unit is configured to emit light when the corresponding transmitter or receiver is in an operating mode. .

  According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for operating an ambient communication system for transmitting and receiving information signals between two or more parties. The method includes selecting a transmitter and a corresponding receiver from a plurality of transmitters and a corresponding set of receivers. The method further includes transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded information signals from the transmitter and receiver. The method further includes emitting light from a light emitting unit connected to the selected transmitter and receiver.

  In yet another aspect, there is provided a computer readable medium having a computer program recorded thereon for processing by a computer. The computer program has a code segment for selecting a transmitter and a corresponding receiver from a set of transmitters and corresponding receivers. The computer program further includes code segments for transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded information signals from the transmitter and receiver. The computer program further comprises a code segment for emitting light from the light emitting unit connected to the selected transmitter and receiver.

  These and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from and will be elucidated with reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings. .

1 shows a schematic illustration of a system according to an embodiment. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a system according to an embodiment. The specific example of the stripe of RGB LED by an Example is shown. Fig. 2 shows a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment. 2 shows a flowchart of a computer program according to an embodiment.

  To enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, several embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; Rather, the present disclosure is complete and complete, and these examples are provided to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. These examples do not limit the invention, but the invention is limited only by the appended patent claims. Furthermore, the terms used in the detailed description of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings are not intended to limit the present invention.

  Experiments using the basic setup of an ambient telephone built into the laboratory ceiling in the form of a house showed a positive tendency of the ambient telephone to a social presence compared to a cordless telephone. Ambient phones were significantly better than cordless phones (p <0.05) in terms of the sense of interacting with the other party and how significant this experience was. With regard to hand-free and location-free, in particular, ambient telephones were considered more comfortable and convenient than cordless telephones, and the experimental participants commented on the ambient telephones very positively. Some participants commented that they felt closer to each other as if they were in the same room.

  In an experiment comparing ambient and cordless phones in a Philips research facility, participants notice a sound source, such as a ceiling speaker, and often send an intimate response, such as a kiss, toward the sound source. He showed nodding, staring, etc.-consciously and unconsciously. On the other hand, there was a negative opinion that “speaking to the ceiling”, “empty”, “unnatural” sound position, nothing to see. This was considered uncomfortable when doing multiple tasks.

  In an experiment conducted at a later date, an array of experimental telephone units that look simple and neutral carried a system containing significant colored light that illuminates the telephone unit that makes the call. This showed promising results with a marked improvement in social presence and overall good comments on comfort and convenience. Users are able to focus their attention during the call, on the improved feedback of the chase effect, on the presence of the remote party, and on the improved representation of the remote party. Made a clear comment on the benefits. The user expressed his opinion that the light attracted attention and attracted the user to focus on the light during the call and when there was no conversation involved. In this way, the sense of conversation between the parties to the call was improved, and the existence of silence was also possible. Once the light is on, the parties to the call know that they are listening and know that the other party is at the phone.

  The inventors of the present invention have realized that the telephone experience will be improved by thus providing a visual connection between the parties to the call.

  Light does not require direct attention to perceive, requires less cognitive effort, does not need to be dedicated, and does not create an obligation. In addition, light is variable within the environmental system, and modulation of light could be used to represent a direct and intimate belief. Light is also an effective way to show little information in an easy-to-understand and unobtrusive manner. Colored light may be used to elicit emotional conversations, and may be used to aid a seamless transition between passive and active modes. Colored light can be used as a display for peripheral devices, conveys only enough information, has meaning to exist for ambient telephones, is flexible and suitable. Furthermore, light can provide a sense of presence without having to be rich or clear.

  In this regard, the inventor of the present invention provides an ambient communication system 10 for transmitting and receiving an electronically or digitally encoded information signal having, for example, conversation information between two or more parties. , Extracted and edited the benefits of the experiment recognized above. The ambient communication system 10 has a set of a plurality of transmitters 11 and a plurality of receivers 12. This can be realized by integrating the transmitter 11 and the receiver 12 in a transmission / reception unit such as a phone-let. It can be realized by having the communication system 10 having. The transmitter 11 is, for example, a loudspeaker, and the receiver 12 is, for example, a microphone. Different transmitters 11 and receivers 12 can be placed in a plurality of confined spaces, such as different rooms, so that voice transmission and / or reception can be performed in a plurality of different confined spaces. The system 10 has a control unit 13. The control unit 13 has an algorithm for controlling voice transmission and / or voice reception so that the transmitter 11 and the receiver 12 at the location of the strongest voice reception are activated. Preferably, the algorithm is such that the voice is dominant over other forms of sound, such as household equipment. In this way, the system detects, for example, a user moving only within a residential area where the user is present, and makes a call. This allows for free movement and completely hands-free calling without product limitations or physical location limitations.

  Each of the transmitter 11 and / or the receiver 12 is connected to a corresponding light emitting unit 14. Preferably, the light emitting unit 14 is integrated into the same unit as the corresponding transmitter 11 so that the light emitting unit 14 is activated to emit light when the transmitter 11 transmits information such as conversation information. . Thus, the light emitting unit 14 is integrated with the transmission / reception unit according to the above. The control unit 13 is configured to have an algorithm that activates light emission from the light emitting unit 14 in response to the transmitter 11 in operation. In this manner, light can be emitted from the same location where the sound is transmitted. In this manner, the user knows which transmitter 11 and / or receiver 12 is activated from the emitted light, so that the goal of focusing attention during a call is achieved and at the same time improves the chasing effect.

  In one embodiment, the information signal comprises audio information resulting from the sound of a telephone conversation between the parties that are talking. However, the information signal also contains the identification information of the telephone caller as well as the telephone number display so that the light emitting unit emits light with a specific color and / or light intensity according to the identification information of the telephone caller. Can do. Therefore, different colors and / or light intensities may be preset in the control unit depending on the identification information of the caller.

  In another embodiment, the information signal comprises video information obtained using a camera on either side of the communication channel, for example. Therefore, when the transmitter / receiver unit is connected to the camera, the control unit processes the video information and activates the operating device accordingly, in order to visualize eg the facial expression or body language of the remote user Let The control unit may process the video information using commonly known facial detection techniques or body language identification techniques.

  The light emitted from the light emitting unit 14 may be preset to a specific color by the user. Different colors each correspond to the intent that the remote caller has for the user. As the user moves between different sensing areas of the phonelets, this light will shine from one phonelet to another on the phonelet that is making the call. When the emitted color is used as a ringtone by color, the emitted light color also allows the user to recognize the remote caller before the call, during the call and during the conversation In the case of interruption, it is possible to strengthen the feeling that the other party is at the telephone door by matching the audio and video. When multiple callers, such as the conference call mode, make a call, they can be visualized by different colors when different callers speak.

  In this manner, the sound and the colored light match the colored light that acts as the underlying abstract representation of the voice, such as conversation, the transmission of messages, and the remote telephone caller. This combination has been found to enrich the user experience.

  It may be configured to emit light corresponding to the atmosphere and / or feeling of the telephone caller. For example, the caller may indicate in his / her communication system that he / she is happy, sad, or angry, and these indicate that the light-emitting unit 14 is green, blue, or red light, respectively. Can be visualized by emitting In this way, the atmosphere and / or feeling of the caller can be visualized for the user receiving the call.

  It should be understood that the light emitting unit 14 is not limited to being at a remote telephone caller location. Thus, either or each side of the communication channel may comprise, for example, a light emitting unit, which at least visualizes the input information signal including, for example, audio information from a remote user side.

  Furthermore, any user at a remote location can receive a visual indication of the atmosphere and / or feelings of the user on the opposite side using the light emitting unit.

  In addition, the intensity of light emitted during a telephone call may correspond to the atmosphere and / or feeling of a user at a remote location. Thus, all the information signals sent between the call parties, and thus the voice information, are analyzed by the control unit 13 and converted, for example, into operation by an operating device at each call party location, thereby Provide continuous feedback. Thus, the phone caller's atmosphere and / or feeling with a preset caller identification color can also be visualized to the user.

  The control unit 13 is at the transmitting end or the receiving end of the communication channel. If the unit is at the transmitting end, the control information may be sent from the location of the first user to the location of the second user as audio data sub-information.

  In an alternative embodiment, the control unit 13 is part of a service provided by the communication operator such that control message analysis and generation is performed on a central server that is part of the communication infrastructure.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the light emitting unit 14 may be an array of RGB LEDs such as RGB LED stripes. As shown in FIG. 2, the array of RGB LEDs can be controlled by a DMX light controller or some other light controller. The light emitting unit may also have an optical lens for optimal diffusion of the emitted light. An RGB LED and an array of optical lenses may be combined. As described above, the emitted light can be activated (lighted) by an algorithm similar to the algorithm that controls voice tracking between phonelets of known ambient telephone systems. However, in an embodiment of the present invention, this algorithm enables at least a chase effect as described above. The control unit 13 is operable so that the user can program how the color, light, light intensity, etc. should correspond to different phone callers, atmospheres, and / or background settings, etc. is there. A similar controller is integrated in a product called Philips Living Color Lamp. In this way, the user can specify a color when making a call through the interface of the communication system 10 such as a transmission / reception unit or a phonelet.

  In one embodiment, lighting of different structures of the transmission / reception unit, intensity of light emitted by the transmitter 11, the receiver 12, the light emitting unit 14, etc. and / or the light emission pattern are at a distance from the device and at a remote location. It can be modulated by a number of factors, such as the distance from the caller, staring at a device such as transmitter 11 (as if "speaking, you are staring at me").

  In one embodiment, the control unit is configured to process information signals sent between parties based on content analysis. Based on this content analysis of the dialogue, the control unit determines the light, light intensity, or pattern of light emitted during the course of the dialogue in order to assume a change in the atmosphere and / or mindset of the other party. Control. In particular, commonly known algorithms for automatic detection of emotion during a call are used. The content analysis may be, for example, one of many commonly known Speech Activity Detector algorithms.

  In one embodiment, the conversation activity in the input information signal is analyzed by the control unit 13.

  In one embodiment, the control unit 13 utilizes light emitted from the light emitting unit during the progress of the dialogue in order to use the content analysis of the dialogue to assume a change in the atmosphere and / or mindset of the other party. Configured to change. In particular, commonly known algorithms for automatic detection of emotion during a call are used. Such content analysis can be, for example, long conversation interruptions, actions of the other party on the call, ambiguous words such as “Fum”, “Hum”, “Woon”, or “Excellent”, “Good”, etc. Based on aggressive word frequency.

  These atmosphere words and / or framed words are accumulated as identifying keywords in a predefined list. In this way, it is possible to analyze the fatigue, atmosphere and intimacy of the dialogue, which can be displayed in a light pattern on a transmission / reception unit such as a vonlet. This can further indicate whether the phone is an office phone or an emotional phone. Changes in the volume and volume of the other party's call party or multiple parties, such as yelling or whispering, can also be attributed to the atmosphere or way of thinking, or the light emitted to visualize these changes, the intensity of light, the lighting pattern, etc. This is an influencing factor. Other factors that affect the emitted light, light intensity, lighting pattern, etc. to visualize the atmosphere or way of thinking of the other party or parties or their changes are: Or, it is an operation or non-operation of a plurality of parties, and is a movement of a call party or a plurality of parties on the other side.

  In another embodiment, the presence of multiple users can be indicated by emitted light, light intensity, lighting pattern, and the like. If there are multiple users with different distances to a transmitting / receiving unit such as a phonelet, the transmitting / receiving unit is relative to the user's telephone transmitting / receiving unit (this side) relative to the user at a remote location It will be lit according to specific distance. Thus, if there are two people in a remote location and one is further away from the phone than the other, the two transmit / receive units should be lit in different colors or in different color intensities. And the farthest phonelet will display the user at the remote location farthest from the transmitting / receiving unit. When both people at remote locations approach gradually together, for example, only one transmitter / receiver unit lights up with increasing light intensity. The relative distance can be calculated using, for example, at least one microphone.

  By utilizing conversation activity detection (SAD) in the control unit, the movement and attitude of the movement device may be controlled to represent the current conversation movement of the incoming caller. Using only SAD information, actions can be synchronized with ongoing conversations and conversation interruptions.

  In one embodiment, content analysis comprises an algorithm that estimates the pitch of conversational motion. Pitch is one of the most important prosodic cues that is often synchronized with head movements for natural speakers. There are several commonly known pitch estimation techniques available. For example, in an embodiment in which the control unit detects an increase in the pitch curve, the unit controls the light emitting unit to emit light that increases in intensity, and when the decrease in the pitch curve is detected, the light emitting unit decreases the intensity. It will have an effect to emit light.

  In one embodiment, the control unit has software for automatic speech recognition (ASR) and natural language interpretation. In this simplest case, this is a limited way to find words contained in predefined rules that convert found words into actions, for example in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 Vocabulary ASR system. In an alternative embodiment, the control unit has software for ASR combined with a natural language interpreter that can derive high level contextual information on topics discussed by the user.

  Depending on the result of the content analysis of the information signal, the control unit controls light characteristics such as color and / or intensity of light emitted by the light emitting unit.

  In one embodiment, the light emitting unit 14 is provided as an integral part of the transmitting / receiving unit.

  In one embodiment, the transmit / receive unit may be integrated into a routine object such as a TV. In this way, if the user is next to or in front of his / her TV, the TV will be switched on, providing an intimate representation of the phone caller at the remote location via the screen as well as the light . Other types of transmission / reception units may be selected from the group including digital photo frames, tablet PCs, refrigerators, sofas and the like. The communication system described herein includes Philips ambiPhone, a dedicated device for ambiPhone, Philips ambilightTV ambiPhone, digital photo frame ambiPhone with variable light intensity from lighting to photography or video, magic It can be at least combined or integrated with a device or combination of devices selected from the group including mirrors, hi-fi systems, etc.

  The control unit 13 may be any unit normally used to perform related work, for example hardware such as a processor with memory.

  In one embodiment, the transmit / receive unit and / or the light emitting unit are configured to rest on a room wall or ceiling.

  In one embodiment, the transmitting / receiving unit and / or the light emitting unit are configured to rest essentially on a horizontal surface, such as a table.

  In one embodiment, the transmit / receive unit and / or the light emitting unit are configured to rest on any surface.

  In the embodiment according to FIG. 4, a method 40 is provided for operating the ambient communication system 10 for transmitting and receiving information signals between two or more call parties. The method includes a step 41 of selecting a transmitter 11 and a corresponding receiver 12 from a set of a plurality of transmitters 11 and a corresponding plurality of receivers 12. The method further includes the step 42 of transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded information signals from the transmitter 11 and the receiver 12. The method further includes a step 43 of emitting light from the light emitting unit 14 corresponding to the transmitter 11 or the receiver 12.

  In one embodiment, selecting the transmitter 11 and the corresponding receiver 12 from the set of the plurality of transmitters 11 and the corresponding plurality of receivers 12 includes the transmitter 11 and the corresponding receiver closest to the user. Including selecting twelve.

  In one embodiment, the method includes performing any function of an ambient communication system according to embodiments.

  In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, there is provided a computer readable medium 50 on which a computer program for execution by a computer is recorded. The computer program has a code segment 51 for selecting a transmitter 11 and a corresponding receiver 12 from a set of a plurality of transmitters 11 and a corresponding plurality of receivers 12. The computer program further comprises a code segment 52 for transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded information signals from the transmitter 11 and the receiver 12. The computer program further comprises a code segment for emitting light from the light emitting unit 14 connected to the selected transmitter 11 or receiver 12.

  In one embodiment, a computer readable medium has a code segment configured to perform all of the method steps defined in some embodiments when executed on a device having computerized characteristics.

  The invention can be implemented in any suitable form including hardware, software, firmware or any combination of these. However, preferably the invention is implemented as computer software running on one or more data processors and / or digital signal processors. The elements and components of an embodiment of the invention may be physically, functionally and logically implemented in any suitable manner. Indeed, the functions can be performed in a single unit, in multiple units, or as part of other multiple functional units. Thus, the present invention can be implemented in a single unit or can be physically and functionally distributed between different units and processors.

  Although the present invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the invention is limited only by the accompanying claims and other embodiments than those defined above are equally contemplated within the scope of these dependent claims.

  In the claims, the term “comprising / having” does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps. Furthermore, although individually listed, multiple means, multiple elements, or multiple method steps may be performed by, for example, a single unit or single processor. In addition, despite the fact that individual features are included in different claims, they can probably be combined conveniently, and that a combination of features is included in different claims. It does not mean that it is not feasible and / or not advantageous. In addition, singular citations do not exclude a plurality. The terms “a”, “an”, “first”, “second”, etc., do not exclude a plurality. Reference signs in the claims are provided merely as a clarifying example shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims in any way.

Claims (12)

An ambient communication system,
-A set of transmitters and a corresponding set of receivers for transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded information signals between two or more call parties;
-At least one light emitting unit connected to the transmitter or the receiver and configured to emit light when the corresponding transmitter or receiver is in an active mode;
An ambient communication system.   The ambient communication system according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter, the receiver, and the light emitting unit are integrated in a transmission / reception unit.   The ambient communication system according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit that activates light emission from the light emitting unit in response to the transmitter in operation.   The ambient communication system according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the light emitting unit is an array of RGB LEDs. The transmitter is a loudspeaker and the receiver is a microphone;
The ambient communication system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A method of operating an ambient communication system for transmitting and receiving information signals between two or more call parties, comprising:
-Selecting a transmitter and a corresponding receiver from among a set of transmitters and corresponding receivers;
-Transmitting and receiving the electronically or digitally encoded information signal from the transmitter and the receiver;
-Emitting light from a light emitting unit connected to the selected transmitter or receiver;
Including a method.   7. The method of claim 6, comprising presetting the color of emitted light in response to a particular telephone caller at a remote location.   Selecting the transmitter and the corresponding receiver from a set of the plurality of transmitters and the corresponding plurality of receivers includes selecting a transmitter and a corresponding receiver closest to the user; 8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, comprising:   The step of emitting light from the light-emitting unit in response to the transmitter or the receiver may be used to determine whether the emitted light is the atmosphere and / or feeling of the other call party or a plurality of call parties, or a specific call party. The distance from the transmitter, the receiver, or the light emitting unit to the other call party or call parties, the content analysis of the call, the volume of the caller's voice, Selected from the group consisting of a change in the volume of hand speech, the operation or inactivity of the other party or parties, or the physical movement of the other party or parties And associating with at least one of the group consisting of light, intensity or pattern with at least one factor. Or the method of 8.   The content analysis of the call is based on a long interruption of the conversation, the behavior of the other calling party or parties, the occurrence of an ambiguous word, or the occurrence of an active or passive word Item 10. The method according to Item 9. A computer readable medium having a computer program for processing by a computer recorded on the medium, the computer program comprising:
A code segment for selecting a transmitter and a corresponding receiver from among a set of transmitters and corresponding receivers;
A code segment for transmitting and receiving electronically or digitally encoded information signals from the transmitter and the receiver;
A code segment for emitting light from a light emitting unit connected to the selected transmitter or receiver;
A computer readable medium comprising:   7. A computer program stored on a computer readable medium having software code adapted to carry out the steps of the method of claim 6 when executed on a data processing apparatus.

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